5 Things every smart marketer does

There is so much confusion as to whether marketing is sales and vice versa, but in truth, they don't exist without each other. If you are really smart as a marketer, you know that, and you leverage your role in marketing and capabilities to make sales people look like stars. The greater success a sales team has, the more brownie points a marketer gets and the satisfaction in seeing a company's sales and profits skyrocket, often leads to promotion, payrises and respect amongst peers.

The standout 'things' that marketers do that really make them stand apart from their counterparts are:

1. Always have a marketing strategy in place, that is executed to a tee. That means that as a marketer, you are ticking off action items and goals as they are achieved, and making sure that nothing is left off because you are too busy, don't have enough resources or have changed your mind. A marketing strategy is in place to ensure that you reach your goals, and the company benefits from this discipline.
2. You are always learning and developing your skills in areas such as digital, social media, data science, new technologies and other campaigns that are successful in different industries that may have similiarities to your target audience. Knowledge is power and the more knowledgeable you become, the more powerful you will be.
3. Become BFF's with technology and sales, making sure that they have buy-in with everything thing you do. Make them look like heros and show them how much better collaborative marketing works, then working only in your lane.
4. Keep your eye on the prize. What is it that the company is trying to achieve and how can you play your part in making sure that they kick those goals. Work out what has been successful and what is failing. Adapt, change and be flexible to how you execute your marketing strategy. Do things smarter, not harder. For instance, don't spend a month writing a marketing strategy when you can simply use Robotic Marketer for a fraction of the price of your salary and only a few hours work with engaging in an online marketing workshop.
5. Bring something to the table at management meetings. That means that you need to be all over reporting of all areas of marketing, with KPI's next to each individual marketing discipline. Use a marketing dashboard to that everyone is on the same page, and you have the power to modify what you are doing to accomodate the needs of the company and the flow of leads to the sales team. Come up with new ideas that have been thoroughly researched and take a risk. No one was ever successful without taking a little risk in what they do. Be brave and make a name for yourself in the organization that you work!

Marketing is the greatest career in the world. The more you live and breathe it, the more you become absorbed by its beauty. I have been in the industry a long time and have never been bored because it keeps changing and I have to keep on changing along with it. In Atlanta, we have one of America's best environments for marketers to really mix it up with technology and sales - so take advantage of what is sitting at your doorstep.